The Agriculture Mix

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right click to download Over the last 10 years or so I have found a small handful of record labels that consistently put out great music, and I usually end up owning all of their music. One of those labels is The Agriculture.

Now, and especially in college, my musical tastes were deeply focused on experimental jazz/free improv music. While I listened to every new type of music I could get a hold of, I was particularly fond of artists who made "new" music--music that did not follow any preconceived guidelines, trends, schemes, or most importantly---record label desires. My music room is scattered with albums by people like Alvin Curran, John Zorn, Christian Marclay, Frank Zappa, Cyro Baptista, David Shea, Derek Bailey, Ikue Mori, Marc Ribot, Ned Rothenberg, Fred Frith, and so on. While it was noise to the vast majority of people I knew, to me, it was soulful and beautiful. Music for music's sake.

My knowledge of electronic music during these years was very limited; Moby, Fatboy Slim and maybe something else. To me, it was simple stuff that I did not care to explore. There was no edge, not enough change, and little creativity--no newness. Around this time I noticed this guy named DJ Olive appearing on various experimental and jazz CD’s I was picking up at the time. I was fascinated with what he was doing with a turntable and a computer in the realm of new music--- improvising with various ensembles, creating clever sounds from an endless amount of possible noises, combining them with the otherworldly sounds of his instrument-playing colleagues. So I checked on what else he had done---and it was all very good to my ears. I realized that a lot of the elements I looked for in good music could be found in electronic music, too. It wasn’t all just a bunch of marginal club music that was played at baseball games in between innings. What I found with the music of DJ Olive, as well as the other artists on the Agriculture, is electronic music with an extremely wide variety of new, worldly sounds, and above all else, music with a lot of creativity and soul. I can’t say enough good things about the music that has come out of The Agriculture—it’s some of the best music out there today, regardless of genre, style, or method of creation. So, the only logical step was for me to get a mix of songs up here for you to enjoy. If you like what you hear, keep tuned to The Agriculture for more new exciting music, and get down with some roof music.

Jellyfish Roll * Lunchbox
What's the Weather like tomorrow? * nnnj
Aa * QPE
Feely Soft * Ladyman
Secret Society * David Last
Hen Porch Blues *DJ Olive
Once Upon * QPE
Funky Cortado * DJ Olive
Evp broadcast * DJ wally/DJ Willie Ross
Rough Muffin * Lunchbox
Lush lope * Nnnj
end of public space * Nettle
Womanizer Dub * Ladyman
Chiki * David Last
Reptillian Agenda * DJ Wally/DJ Willie Ross
at least some knots get untangled * Dj Olive
Vaus (DJ Olive remix) * DJ Olive
a long beard on a throne * Once 11
Peanut Butter and Jelly * Lunchbox
makeout stakeout * David Last